Guaranteed Departure Escorted Cycling Tours 2010

CYCLING ALONG THE LITHUANIAN SEASIDE

8 days / 7 nights

from/to Klaipėda

The Baltic Sea coast with Palanga Resort and the Curonian Spit National Park, designated by UNESCO as the World Heritage Site, explored by bicycle on highly scenic routes with a help of experienced local tour guide. Enjoy a real Lithuanian country life when cycling in the Nemunas River Delta region. This tour partly covers the Lithuanian Seaside Cycle Route http://www.bicycle.lt/seasideroute/which is the first and only officially signposted high quality cycle route in Lithuania opened a few years ago.

ITINERARY (cycling app. 225 km)

Day 1 Sunday: KLAIPĖDA

Arrival in Klaipėda. Individual transfer to the hotel (not included). Check-in at the hotel.

7:00 a.m. (19:00) welcome meeting at the hotel, where you will be greeted by your tour guide. Optional dinner at the hotel

OVERNIGHT: Klaipėda

HOTEL: OLD MILL*** or similar

Day 2 Monday: KLAIPĖDA-VEIVIRŽĖNAI-ŠVĖKŠNA-ŠILUTĖ (cycling app. 40 km, by minibus app. 40 km)

Sightseeing tour around the Old Town followed by a transfer to Veiviržėnai. Get rental bicycles and start your cycling ride through Pamarys Meadows to Šilutė. En route stop in Švėkšna and Vilkėnai villages to explore the estates with their beautiful parks and impressive neo-gothic church of St.Jacob the Apostle. Arrival in Šilutė, check-in and optional dinner at the hotel.

OVERNIGHT: Šilutė

HOTEL:DEIMS*** or similar.

Day 3 Tuesday: ŠILUTĖ-RUSNĖ ISLAND-ŠILUTĖ (cyclingapp. 45 km)

Explore Šilutė town named after “Šilokarčema” (a pub in the boscage) and go for a return cycling trip to Rusnė Island, the only such big island in Lithuania, located in the Nemunas River Delta Regional Park. En route you will explore the ethnographic fisherman’s homestead – a museum of Rusnė, the old water pumping station – a polder museum and the 19^thcentury lighthouse in Uostadvaris Harbour. Optional dinner at the hotel.

OVERNIGHT: Šilutė

HOTEL:DEIMS*** or similar.

Day 4 Wednesday: ŠILUTĖ-KINTAI-VENTĖ-NIDA (cyclingapp. 45 km)

Cycling to Ventė Cape where you visit a bird ringing station with a museum of ornithology and the 19^thcentury lighthouse which offers an amazing view of the landscape and a glimpse of the shining sand dunes of the Curonian Spit. En route you will cross 24-km long Klaipėda Canal, also referred to as King Vilhelm Canal, which was dug in the 19^thcentury to link the Minija River with the Curonian Lagoon in Klaipėda. Take a boat for crossing the Curonian Lagoon to Nida. Arrival in Nida followed by a bike ride to the hotel. Check-in and optional dinner at the hotel.

OVERNIGHT: Nida

HOTEL:NERIJA*** or similar.

Day 5 Thursday: NIDA

Free day in Nida which is an old fishermen’s village on the Curonian Spit washed by the Baltic Sea from one side and the Curonian Lagoon from other side. Today Nida is the largest settlement of the town of Neringa and one of the most beautiful resorts in Lithuania. Cycling or walking along impressive sand dunes and visiting the most popular places of interest – the Fisherman’s House, the summer house of famous German writer Thomas Mann, and the Amber Gallery. Optional dinner at the hotel.

OVERNIGHT: Nida

HOTEL:NERIJA*** or similar.

Day 6 Friday: NIDA-JUODKRANTĖ-KLAIPĖDA (cyclingapp. 55 km)

Cycling on an asphalt bike path of the LithuanianSeaside Cycle Route which takes you along the Curonian Spit to Klaipėda. En route you will stop at Thomas Mann memorial museum, “Dead” sand dunes and colony of grey herons and cormorants, visit the Hill of Witches which houses a hundred fanciful and folksy wooden sculptures scattered along a forest path, go swimming in the Baltic Sea and take the sun on golden sand beaches. Arrival in Smiltynė where take a ferry to the Old Town of Klaipėda.Check-in and optional dinner at the hotel.

OVERNIGHT: Klaipėda

HOTEL:OLD MILL*** or similar

Day 7 Saturday: KLAIPĖDA-PALANGA-ŠVENTOJI-KLAIPĖDA (cycling app. 40 km, by minibus app. 40 km)

Cycle to Palanga resort along the Seaside Cycle Route leading through Giruliai Forest and the Seaside Regional Park. En route explore the Dutchman’s Cap – a 24-meter-high coastal cliff andPlazė Lake. In Palanga visit the Botanical Park and Amber Museum, cycle along J.Basanavičius car-free street featuring plenty of cafes, restaurants and a pier heading 470 meters into the Baltic Sea. Finish cycling at Žemaičių Alkos, the ancient place of Samogitians with a paleo-astronomical observatory, in Šventoji. Then get a transfer back to Klaipėda. Optional dinner at the hotel.

OVERNIGHT: Klaipėda

HOTEL:OLD MILL*** or similar

Day 8 Sunday: KLAIPĖDA

Breakfast at the hotel. End of the tour.

THE TOUR INCLUDES:

• 7 nights stay at the hotels

• All hotel taxes

• Breakfast daily

• Welcome meeting

• Guide escort on days 2-4 & 6-7

• Transfers by minibus on days 2 & 7

• Ferry ticket from the Curonian Spit to Klaipėda

• Luggage transport on day 2 (Klaipėda-Šilutė), day 4 (Šilutė-harbour-Nida) and day 6 (Nida-Klaipėda)

• Boat trip across the Curonian Lagoon to Nida

• Entrances to: Ornithological station in Ventė, Thomas Mann’s House in Nida and Amber Museum in Palanga.

• Individual information package (city guide, maps, program and route description)

THE TOUR EXCLUDES:

• Arrival and departure transfers

• Bicycle rent

• Lunches & dinner

• Tips

OPTIONS:

TRANSFERS 

• Single person arrival or departure transfer – 40 EUR net per person (Palanga Airport) or 26 EUR net per person (Klaipeda ferry terminal);

• Arrival or departure transfer for a party of 2 persons - 20 EUR net per person (Palanga Airport) or 13 EUR net per person (Klaipeda ferry terminal);

RENTAL

• Rental of hybrid trekking bicycle equipped with 7-speed hub gears & back-pedal break or 21-speed derailleur gears & free-wheel (optionally) and waterproof pannier (Ortlieb), including bicycle delivery to/collection from the hotel in Klaipeda – 60 EUR per person

• Rental of waterproof handlebar bag with plastic map holder (Ortlieb) and it’s installation on the bicycle – 15 EUR per bicycle

• Rental of trailer-bike for children of 5-10 years old – 40 EUR per person

• Rental of child seat (up to 25 kg) and it’s installation on the bicycle – 15 EUR per bicycle

MEALS

• 3-course dinner package (7 dinners) – 98 EUR per person

PRE/POST TOUR ACCOMMODATION

Hotel in Klaipeda OLD MILL HOTEL*** or similar

SGL 60 EUR per room per night, including breakfast

DBL 72 EUR per room per night, including breakfast

Minimum group size – 2 pax.